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China took their lead into the half-time break but, seven minutes after the re-start, Fry headed in the equaliser , latching onto Tammy Abraham’s assist.

It looked like the game would end all-square but Abraham scored a last gasp winner for England, who won the competition under Gareth Southgate’s management in 2016.

Dael Fry in action for England Under-21s at the Riverside Stadium

That squad included Boro loanees Calum Chambers, Nathaniel Chalobah and Lewis Baker and several members who’ve since stepped up to the senior side including Jordan Pickford and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

There’s no doubt Southgate, now in charge of the senior team, is prepared to use the Under-21s as a pathway to a Three Lions cap, which will be an incentive for Fry, especially as his York-born international team-mate Lewis Cook made his England debut in the 1-1 friendly draw against Italy at Wembley last month.

The 21-year-old, who currently plays for Bournemouth and came through the ranks at Leeds, is on stand-by for Southgate’s World Cup squad.

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Speaking to the FA website about the opportunity to graduate through the England age groups, Cook said: “The pathway is definitely there and we’ve seen that younger players are now getting their opportunity which is good to see.

“It’s given all of us in the Under-21s an incentive to give it our all. Stepping up to the senior squad is a massive thing for every player.”

England’s next game in the Toulon Tournament is on Tuesday, when they play Mexico in Salon and their final group fixture is against Qatar on Friday, June 1, at the Stade Parsemain, in Fos-sur-Mer.

Dael Fry (second left, back row) with the England Under-21 team at the Riverside ahead of the international against Scotland. Pic Martin Rickett/PA Wire

Fry is now a regular member of Boothroyd’s squad and will be hoping to win a place in the party that takes part in next summer’s 2019 Under-21 European Championships in Italy.

England have yet to qualify for the competition but are favourites to progress from their group after winning and drawing one of their six Group Four qualifiers so far.